Prevalence, causes of blindness, visual impairment and cataract surgical services in Sindhudurg district on the western coastal strip of India.
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Date
2014-02
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Abstract
Background: Konkan coast of India is geographically distinct and its pattern of blindness has never been
mapped. Aim: To study the prevalence and causes of blindness and cataract surgical services in Sindhudurg
district of West Coast. Subjects: Individual aged > 50 years. Materials and Methods: Rapid assessment
of avoidable blindness used to map blindness pattern in the district. Statistical analysis: SPSS version 19.
Results: Amongst those examined 1415 (51.7%) had visual acuity (VA) >20/60, 924 (33.8%, confidence
interval (C.I) 30.5%‑36.8%) had VA 20/200‑<20/60(visual impairment), 266 (9.7%, C.I. 6.1%‑13.3%) had
VA < 20/200‑20/400 (severe visual impairment) and 132 (4.8%, C. I. 1.1%‑8.5%) had VA < 20/400 (blindness
by WHO standards). There was no significant gender difference in prevalence of blindness, but blindness
and visual impairment was more in older and rural residing individuals. Amongst those with presenting
vision < 20/200 in better eye, 309 (82.4%) had cataract, 36 (9.7%) had corneal scars, 13 (3.5%) had diabetic
retinopathyand 3 (0.8%) had glaucoma. Cataract surgical coverage for the district was only 30.5%; 32% for
males and 28.4% for females. Unable to afford, lack of knowledge and lack of access to services were the
commonest barriers responsible for cataract patients not seeking care. Amongst those who had undergone
cataract surgery, only 50% had visual acuity ≥ 20/60.46.9% of the population had spectacles for near, but
only 53.3% of the population had presenting near vision < N10. Conclusion: Cataract, refractive errors and
diabetes were significant causes of visual impairment and blindness.
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Keywords
Cataract surgery, near vision, prevalence of blindness, visual outcome
Citation
Patil Shailbala, Gogate Parikshit, Vora Siddharth, Ainapure Sachin, Hingane Ramkrishna N, Kulkarni Anil N, Shammanna B R. Prevalence, causes of blindness, visual impairment and cataract surgical services in Sindhudurg district on the western coastal strip of India. Indian Journal of Ophthalmology. 2014 Feb ; 62 (2): 240-245.